Posted on 07/26/2008 9:19:38 AM PDT by marbren
Question:
I am a born-again Christian, having come to faith 10 years ago when I admitted to Christ I was a sinner, believed that Christ is God's Son and that He died for me and rose again, and choosing to live my life with Him as my Savior. I have a problem with your response to the homosexual question. You write that homosexuals do not go to heaven. If homosexuals do not go to heaven, then neither do boasters, adulterers, self-centered people, thieves, liars, or anyone for that matter.
You write that "So, you see, there is hope for anyone, homosexual, adulterer, drunkard, etc., to become one of God's family. But when a person does become a believer, the homosexuality ends." I'd like to examine the last of those two sentences...You say that when a person becomes a believer, the homosexuality ends. I would pose this question to you...When a prideful person becomes a believer, does his pride end? When a selfish person becomes a believer, does his selfishness end? When a liar becomes a believer do his lies end?
Answer:
Thanks for these thoughts. I do agree with you in one sense. However, I'm trying also to work with the biblical language. The Bible states that homosexuals do not go to heaven, in a variety of ways and passages. What that means is that a person who is a believer is really entirely different, including the way he thinks of himself. Many religious people have borrowed from the therapeutic view related to alcoholism that a person is merely a "recovering alcoholic" or in this case, a "recovering homosexual". This is not true for true Christians as far as the Bible is concerned. "Such were some of you" (1 Cor. 6:9-11), means that lifestyle is in the past and the old man has died. You are not a homosexual any more. You are a Christian. But you might be a Christian who still has some problem with remaining habits and sins. In fact, we all do. You are substantially different, as indicated by your behavior. The fact that the old you has died, however, is a necessary assertion, from Romans 6. And sin is an aberration and an infiltrator. You are not what you were, but your are new. And your behavior validates that if your salvation is real.
May God give you continued hope and help as you trust Him.
Jim
In that case, I'll take the Handbasket Express. Thanks.
Fireworks didn't go off around me. When I got up off my knees I didn't feel like I was Queen of the World. But I had already started to change.
And I've been continuing to change for the better ever since then. I'm now the proud(!) owner of SIX Bibles and numerous books on Christianity. Sure I've had my ups and downs but I've slowly and continue to do so - get better as a person. I now WANT to please the Lord. I've confessed every sin I can ever remember committing! People who knew me before I was born again HAVE seen how I've changed for the better. Its the best decision I ever made.....
Beautiful ..... thanx
My Pastor had a good answer to this question."There is no sex in heaven"
There's no marriage in heaven. Not the same thing.
Having homosexual tendencies or being totally “gay” is not the root of the problem. The Bible teaches that “practicing” homosexuality (a man lying with another man.....sodomy....etc.) is a sin.
Being a homosexual believer who abstains is no different from being a heterosexual believer who refuses to commit sex outside of marriage or via an adulterous relationship.
That’s just my Reader’s Digest version. Perhaps more later.
You're not the first person to ask such a question: Mark 12:18-27.
Great question. For a Great God!
Nor the first not to get a straight answer.
I would tend to think that in Christ God does not see us as male or female and after the resurection would it not be the same? What is the point of sex? To procreate, and we all know that God has no grandchildren.
There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male [a]and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
11[In this new creation all distinctions vanish.] There [a]is no room for and there can be neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, [nor difference between nations whether alien] barbarians or Scythians [[b]who are the most savage of all], nor slave or free man; but Christ is all and in all [[c]everything and everywhere, to all men, without distinction of person].
What are the unforgivable sins???
If procreation is the only point of sex, then maybe God should have created the baby tree where you could go pick one when it’s ripe.
If there’s no room for procreation in Heaven, then it means the universe is completely full.
If Heaven is an all-adults club, then it will be a little less fun.
Just so no one deceives themselves - the Bible, inspired and written by the living God, has stated more than directly in more than a few places in Scripture that practicing, unrepentant homosexuals will not see heaven.
I'm in a heap of trouble...And so is everyone I know...
I have to admit...I'm an idolator...I love food...I look forward to the next meal...Prime Rib??? I'll drive 30 miles for a great prime rib...
I'm also a thief...Just last week I stole 2 grapes from the supermarket...A red one and a green one...I couldn't give them back...I ate them...
Covetous...That's written right on my forhead...I have my eye on a new G. Loomis fishing pole...
Sadly, the Apostle Paul must not have made it to heaven...Over there in Romans 7, he couldn't control his sin either...
Apparently heaven is out of reach for everyone...St. Peter may as well put a lock on those pearly gates...No one's going to show up...
What a propagandist diversionary question!
The truth is that CHRISTIANS go to heaven. The proper question is this: “Do all true Christians go to heaven?”
The answer is: “Yes.”
Then someone will ask. “Can a self-avowed, practicing, unrepentant homosexual be a true Christian?”
The answer is: “No. Not if he stays in that condition.”
You know this thread would be banned in Canada.
So you’re saying that Christ’s death was for nothing?
Oh man :( :( ...
What's blaspheme against the Holy Spirit???
I'm thinking that's what you are saying...We ALL still commit sins that are covered by the verse you posted...How do you reconcile that???
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